When your dog doesn’t eat, it is important to visit your veterinarian to figure out what isn’t right and fix it. In some cases, an appetite stimulant may be indicated to support your dog on the road to recovery.
READ MORE

Cleanliness is one the biggest draws of living with cats. So, if you start to detect a bad odor from your cat, you need to take notice. In most cases, foul feline smells are a sign that something is seriously wrong.
READ MORE

Top Tools & Guides

Liver Disease (Copper Storage) in Dogs

Copper-Storage Hepatopathy in Dogs

Copper storage hepatopathy is a condition caused by an abnormal accumulation of copper in the animal's liver, which leads to progressive damage and scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). This condition may be secondary to a primary disease or the result of genetic-based abnormal copper metabolism.

The condition or disease described in this medical article can affect both dogs and cats. If you would like to learn more about how this disease affects cats, please visit this in the petMD health library.

Symptoms and Types

Primary copper liver diseases (medically referred to as hepatopathies) generally fall into one of three categories:

Subclinical disease: a condition where the disease is present in the organ or body, but not detectable by abnormal signs or changes in the dog

Acute (sudden) disease which most frequently affects young dogs; associated with a condition that causes the death of liver tissue (hepaticnecrosis)

Chronic progressive disease in which symptoms are often observed in middle-aged and older dogs with chronic hepatitis, with damage and scarring of the liver (cirrhosis)

Conversely, secondary copper hepatopathies show symptoms of progressive signs of liver disease due to chronic hepatitis or progressive cirrhosis. Liver disease in which the flow of bile is slowed or stopped is known as cholestatic liver disease; the abnormal flow of bile results in secondary copper retention.

Both types may display symptoms in their acute or chronic forms; they are as follows:

Yellowish discoloration of skin and moist tissues (icterus or jaundice),

Spontaneous bleeding, black or tarry stools (melena)

Nervous system dysfunction due to the liver being unable to break down ammonia in the body (hepatic encephalopathy)

Causes

It is important to note that dogs can be affected by copper storage hepatopathy at any age. Genetics is the main contributing factor in this liver disease in Bedlington terriers and possibly other breeds. Here is some information that is known about the contributing genetic factors:

An autosomal recessive trait in Bedlington terriers due to the lack of a specific gene (COMMD1) coding for a liver protein involved in the excretion of copper in the bile is confirmed.

At one time, possibly as many as two-thirds of Bedlington terriers either were carriers of the gene or were affected by the disease; with recent genetic screening, the incidence is now much lower.

A genetic cause is suspected but unconfirmed in breeds other than Bedlington terriers. The mode of inheritance is unknown.

The prevalence in certain lines of West Highland white terriers appears to be high, but the incidence in all West Highland White terriers is low.

A reported four to six percent of Doberman Pinschers may have chronic hepatitis, which can be a cause of effect of copper storage hepatopathy.

Diagnosis

A laboratory workup will be conducted, including a chemical blood profile, a complete blood count, and a urinalysis. You will need to give a thorough history of your dog's health, including a history of its symptoms, and possible incidents that might have precipitated this condition. The history you provide may give your veterinarian clues as to whether the condition is of primary or secondary origin.

A tissue sample will then be taken from the dog's liver for laboratory analysis (biopsy), and ultrasound images will be taken of the abdominal area to examine the condition of the liver.